Various devices designed for treatment of substrates and similar articles are known in the art, with examples being shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,142,010 (D. J. Pipkin et al), U.S. Pat. No. 4,152,153 (J. M. Jackson et al), U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,186 (D. J. Pipkin et al), U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,124 (D. J. Pipkin), and U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,133 (A. Wohrle). See also pages 1362 and 1363 of the IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 23, No. 4, September, 1980 (M. Gagne). Various devices as shown and described in these publications are capable of providing several different forms of treatment for the article being so treated, including, for example, coating, cleaning and chemically reacting (e.g., etching) with said article. Accordingly, by the term treatment as used herein to describe the capability of the invention is meant to include the aforementioned functions (coating, cleaning and chemically reacting), as well as others (including, e.g., plating) discernible from the teachings herein. Further, by the term fluid as used herein is meant to include both liquids (e.g., etchants) and gases (e.g., air). As will be defined, the device of the instant invention is particularly adapted for etching relatively thin metallic substrates. However, the invention is not limited to this particular application, as it can be readily used in the above, other applications as well.
As defined herein, the present invention is designed for applying fluid to a substrate in such a manner so as to direct such fluid substantially only to a predetermined, precisely defined location on the substrate. The invention utilizes a head member wherein two fluids are directed such that one functions to substantially limit the impingement of the other to the defined, predetermined location. The invention thus utilizes two fluids at two pressures to provide relatively precise fluid application. The invention, as understood from the following description, operates in a relatively simple manner and, additionally, is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
It is believed that a fluid treatment device possessing the advantageous features cited herein and otherwise discernible from the teachings provided below would constitute a significant advancement in the art.